Market interest and community support remain strong for a senior-oriented residential community in the Cypress Knolls location. Parties interested in development of any portion of the Cypress Knolls project area should contact the City Manager’s Office Economic Development Division, at (831) 384-7324, ext or email For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address..

Project Area Overview

The Cypress Knolls senior residential project area is located in the approved Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan area, approximately 188 acres once known as the “Lower Patton Park” area on the former Fort Ord. The property is fully entitled for the development of a comprehensive senior residential community with active adult housing, continuum of care senior services, a senior community center, and supportive amenities and services. The property is owned by the City and title has been cleared by the State for transfer.

Located at the northwest section of the former Fort Ord, Cypress Knolls’ site is bounded on the north by a residential area of Marina and the new Marina High School, on the east by the Marina Heights residential community and to the south by The Dunes, a mixed use project integrating residential, shopping and recreation areas, plus wellness and medical facilities of the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

The project area will be served by transit and a network of walking and bicycling trails. To the west just across the coast highway are the regional coastal bike path and the bluffs and beaches of Fort Ord Dunes States Park. Classes are offered at Monterey Peninsula College’s Marina Education Center immediately adjacent to Cypress Knolls and the nearby California State University Monterey Bay with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Documents, Maps and Plans

Documents, maps and plans related to the Cypress Knolls senior project may be viewed online at the Document Center or in the office of the Economic Development Division.

Entitlements
Shortly after the Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan was approved in 1997, a development team began preparing plans for an age-resricted senior community in 230 duplex buildings of former Army housing. The project area became known as Cypress Knolls. The units deteriorated badly and over time the project evolved to demolition and the adoption of a tentative map for 712 units in November 2006. The City Council approved all development entitlements for a 55-plus active adult community including water allocation and certification of an Environmental Impact Report.

2007-2012
The redevelopment of the property has been stalled by the collapse of the financial and residential markets in 2007 and the protracted recovery of the residential market. Several development proposals have been considered through both and RFP and RFQ process since the time that entitlements were secured, but currently there is no developer selected for this project nor under contract for its development at this time.